Portable bowling alley



July 10, 1934. i AI H STUKE 1,965,715

PORTABLE BOWLING ALLEY Filed June 2, 1933 2 Sheets-Sheet l `/qllorney July 10, 1934. A. H. sTuKE PORTABLE BOWLING ALLEY Filed Ju'ne 2, 1953 2`Sheets-Sheet 2 Home y Patented July l0, 1934 PATENT OFFICE PORTABLE BOWLING ALLEY Adolph HenryY Stuke, Floral Park, N. Y.

Application June 2, 1933, Serial No. 674,113

1 Claim.

' The present invention relates to game devices in general and more particularly to new and useful improvements in portable bowling alleys vand has for its primary object to provide, in a manner as hereinafter set forth, an alley of this character embodying a novel construction, combination and arrangement of parts through the rnedium of which said alley may be expeditiously set up for use and knocked down or folded when not in use, the alley requiring a minimum of space for storage when folded.

Other objects' of the invention are to provide a portable bowling alley of the aforementioned character which will be simple in construction,

strong, durable, light in weight, attractive in appearance, and which may be manufactured at low cost.

All of the foregoing and still further objects and advantages ofv the invention will become apparent from a study of the following specification, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings wherein like characters of reference designate corresponding parts throughout the several views, and wherein:

Figure 1 is a View in top plan of a portable bowling alley constructed in accordance with the present invention.

Figure 2 is a view in verticalvtransverse section, taken substantially on the line 2 2 of Figure 1. 1

Figure 3 is a view in side elevation of the alley, showing one end portion broken away in section.

Figure 4 is a detail View in elevation of the projector, showing the same broken away in section.

Figure 5 is a view in transverse section through the projector, taken substantially on the line 5 5 of Figure 4.

Figure 6 is a detail view in vertical section, taken substantially on the line 6 6 of Figure 3.

Referring now to the drawings in detail, it will be seen that the embodiment of the invention which has been illustrated comprises a base 1 having mounted beneath its end portions supporting legs 2, said supporting legs being hingedly connected, as at 3, to the base for swinging movement to operative or inoperative position. Mounted on the longitudinal edges of the base 1 are side boards 4 which extend above and below said base, as illustrated to advantage in Figure 2 of the drawings. The side boards 4 are provided with raised forward end portions 5. The reference numeral 6 designates an end board which is mounted on the forward end of the base 1.

Mounted longitudinally on the base 1 is a ball runway 7 having its longitudinal edges spaced inwardly from the side boards 4 in a manner to provide gutters 8. The ends of the runway 7 are spaced inwardly from the ends of the base 1 for providing a pit 9 at the forward end of the alley. 0U The reference numeral 10 designates a bumper which is mounted between the side boards 4 adjacent the end board 6. At its forward end, the runway 7 has mounted therein a comparatively dark inlay ll of substantially triangular plan 05 upon which a set of pins (not shown) are mounted. Mounted transversely on the rear end portion of the base 1 in abutting engagement with the rear end of the runway 7 is a starting platform 12, the upper surface of which is flush with 7` the upper surface of said runway 7. The ends of the starting platform l2 abut the side boards 4 and it will thus be seen that the said platform closes the gutters 8 at their rear ends. At their forward ends the gutters, of course, communicate with the pit 9.

At their lower ends the supporting legs 2 are socketed for the reception of a female sleeve 13 (see Figure 6). The sleeves 13 threadedly receive the Shanks 14 of the circular adjustable feet 15 30 which constitute means for conveniently levelling the alley.

The reference numeral 16 designates braces for the supporting legs 2 which are pivotally connected, as at 17, to the inner sides of the depending portions of the side boards 4. 'I'he braces 16 are detachably connected to the legs 2 through thev medium of slots in their free end portions which receive headed pins projecting from the sides of said legs 2, as indicated at 18. 9 When disconnected from the supporting legs 2, the braces 16 are adapted to be swung upwardly beneath the base 1, as indicated in broken lines in Figure 3 of the drawings.

Mounted on the outer side and on the upper portion of one of the side boards 4 is a strip 19 of suitable material, preferably wood. The upper edge of the strip 19 and the upper edge of the side board 4 upon which said strip 19 is mounted are oppositely inclined in a manner to provide a ball return trough 20 extending from end to end of the alley. The reference numeral 21 designates a ball stop for the return trough 20 at the starting end of the alley. The ball stop 21 may be of any suitable construction and ma- 105 sired, levels may be provided on both side boards 4 and on one or both ends of the alley.

The reference numeral 23 designates generally a ball projector to be used by the players. The projector 23 includes a cylinder 24 having threaded on its ends caps 25 through which a plunger 26 slidably extends. The forward end of the plunger is provided with a rubber tip 27 and the rear end of said plunger is provided with a suitable rubber handle or knob 28. The plunger 26 is actuated by a coil spring 29 which is mounted in the cylinder 24 and engaged,y at one end, with a collar 30 which is provided for the purpose on said plunger. As will be apparent, the collar 30 constitutes a stop for limiting movement of the plunger 26 under impulsion by the spring 29.

Brief-ly, the game may be played in the following manner: The pins are, of course, set up on the triangular inlay 11 and the ball is placed on the starting platform 12. The player then grasps the cylinder 24 of the projector 23 in one hand and retracts the plunger 26 against the tension of the spring 29. Then, after careful aim has been taken, the plunger 26 is released `and drives the ball up the runway 7 toward the pins. Of course, the object of the game is to knock the pins down. The balls are returned by gravity to the starting end of the alley in the return trough 20.

When it is desired to store the alley, the braces 16 are disconnected from the supporting legs 2 and swung inwardly and upwardly to a position adjacent the base 1. The legs 2 are also swung inwardly and upwardly beneath the base 1 and frictionally secured in this position by engagement of the substantially circular feet 15 with the depending portions of the side boards 4. This construction and arrangement for securing the supporting legs in folded or retracted position constitutes a desirable feature of the invention.

It is believed that the many advantages of a portable folding alley constructed in accordance with the present invention will be readily understood, and although the preferred embodiment of the invention is as illustrated and described, it is to be understood that changes in the details of construction and in the combination and arrangement of parts may be resorted to which will fall within the scope of the invention .as claimed.

What is claimed is:

A portable bowling alley comprising a base, supporting legs hingedly mounted beneath the base, side boards mounted on the longitudinal edges of the base, a ball runway mounted longitudinally on the base and having its longitudinal edges spaced inwardly from the side boards, a strip mounted longitudinally on the upper portion of one of the side boards, said strip and said one side board having oppositely inclined upper edges defining a ball return trough, yand a ball stop at one end of the return trough.

ADOLPH HENRY STUKE. 

